Author(s): Rajnigandha Singh, Reena Kumari & Vandana Kumari
As visual-first platforms redefine the digital branding landscape, Instagram has emerged as a key driver of consumer–brand engagement. This study investigates how Instagram-specific social media marketing activities (SMMAs), namely message consistency, post informativeness, Reels/Stories engagement, and content personal relevance, affect the four dimensions of customer-based brand equity (CBBE): brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, and brand loyalty. Using a cross-sectional survey of 234 Indian Instagram users and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), we empirically validate the proposed framework. Results reveal that content personal relevance and Reels engagement are the strongest predictors of brand loyalty and brand image, while message consistency and informative posts enhance brand awareness and perceived quality. Our findings contribute to consumer research by introducing a platform-specific perspective on social media marketing activities (SMMAs) and consumer-based brand equity development. For practitioners, the results underscore the importance of coherent design, personalized content, and emotionally engaging short-form media in sustaining competitive brand positioning on Instagram.